Hair curl clip with floating pivotal connection



Oct. 26, 1965 M. Jr-:NNls 3,213,865

HAIR CURL CLIP WITH FLOATING PIVOTAL CONNECTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1963 Oct. 26, 1965 M. JENNls 3,213,865

HAIR CURL CLIP WITH FLOATING PIVOTAL CONNECTION med oet. 1e, 196s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Murray Jnnis INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,213,865 HAIR CURL CLIP WITH FLOATING PIVTAL CGNNECHN Murray bannis, Laurelton, NX., assigner to II. Goodman & Sons, Inc., New York, NX., a corporation of Delaware Filed st.. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 317,289 6 Qiaims. (Cl. 132-46) This invent-ion relates to clips and more particularly to hair clips, hair -curl clips or pin curl clips used in hair dressing.

The hair curl clip of this invention comprises two elongated members, each having a jaw portion and a handle portion, one elongated member being oppositely positioned with respect to the other elongated member at all times, and a separately formed spring for urging the respect-ive handle portions away from each other and for holding the respective jaw portions normally -in closed position. The clip is of such construction that, in actuating the respective handle portions towards each other thereby to open the jaw portions, one elongated member, namely, the upper member, is caused to lioat with respect to the other elongated member, namely the lower member, at the fulcrum, or pivot, portion thereof, and thusly I have provided a clip having what I refer to as a iloating fulcrum, that is, .a clip wherein there is a oating action between its respective elongated members at the hinge portion during operation thereof. Also, the clip of this invention is of such construction that there is a minimum of friction between its component parts. Each of the elongated members may be formed of any suitable metallic or plastic material, such las steel, aluminum and nylon, respectively, while the separately formed spring member may be of steel. The spring member is of such configuration that it exes, when in combination with the other component elements of the clip, over a maximum portion of its length, and its length .is here meant to be its developed length.

An object of this invention is to provide an easily, quickly `and economically made clip durable in construction and reliable in operation for a relatively long period of time with a minimum of wear in its component parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hair clip having iioating action between its component elongated members at the fulcrum portion thereof.

Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred ernbodiments of this invention which are illustrative and not limiting.

FIGURE l is an exploded view in perspective of one embodiment of the hair curl clip of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the clip of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the top elongated member of the `clip of FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational View of the top elongated member of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the bottom elongated member of the clip of FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the bottom elongated member of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the clip of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view in section taken along line 9 9 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of a blank from which the spring member is formed.

FIGURE ll is an enlarged view in section taken along line 9-9 of the clip of FIGURE 2 when the handle por- 3,213,865 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 tions are actuated towards each other to open the jaw portions.

FIGURE l2 is a diagrammatic showing of the spring member when the jaw portions are closed and when the jaw portions are open.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of a hook-shaped member of the bottom elongated member of FIGURES 6 and 7.

FIGURE 14 is a top plan view of the top elongated member of another embodiment of the hair curl clip of this invention.

More particularly, the clip 2 comprises a top elongated member 4 and a bottom elongated member 6. Elongated member 4 has a jaw portion 8 and a handle portion 10, and elongated member 6 has a jaw portion 12 and a handle portion 14. The bottom surface 16 of handle portion 10 faces the top surface 18 of handle portion 14, and, as clearly shown in the appended drawings, elongated member 4 is positioned directly opposite to, and of course above, elongated member 6. Elongated member 4 has transversely extending bend portion 20, as clearly shown in the appended drawings, and handle portion 10 extends angularly from said jaw portion 8 along said bend portion 20. Elongated member 4 has a slot 22 through a portion of said handle portion 10, said bend portion 20 and a portion of said jaw portion 8. Positioned between said elongated member 4 and said elongated member 6 is a separate spring 24. Said spring member 24 includes portion 26 preferably substantially parallel and in contact with bottom surface 16 of handle portion 10 of said elongated member' 4, portion 28 preferably substantially parallel to and in contact with top surface 18 of handle portion 14 of said elongated member 6 and bowshaped portion 30 between an-d connecting said spring portions 26 and 28. Said spring member 24 normally urges said handle portions 10 and 14 apart, and, of course, in open position Iand thereby holds said jaw portions 8 and 12 normally in closed position. Sai-d bow-shaped portion 30 extends through said slot 22 and about said transversely extending bend portion 20. Edges 32, 34, 36 and 38 dene said slot 22. Handle portion 10 of top elongated member 4 has openings 40 and 42 therethrough on each side of slo-t 22, said openings 40 and 42 being directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown in the appended drawings. I aw portion 8 of top elongated member 4 has openings 44 and 46 therethrough on each Iside of slot 22, said openings 44 and 46 likewise being directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown in t-he appended drawings. Also, opening 40 is axially positioned with respect to opening 44, and opening 42 is axially positioned with respect to opening 46. Handle portion 14 of bottom elongated member 6 has preferably integral therewith upwardly extending hook-shaped members 48, 48, each positioned through openings 44 and 46, respectively, and entering openings 40 and 42, respectively, as clearly shown in the appended drawings. The length 1 of each of openings 44 and 46 is greater than the overall length 1 of each hook-shaped member 48, 48, and the` width w of each of openings 44 and 46 is greater than the width of thickness w tof each hook-.shaped member 48, 48, thereby enabling easy, quick and economical as-V sembly of the clip components. Also, the width w of each of openings 40 `and 42 is greater than the width or thickness of each hook-shaped member 48, 48.

When respective jaw portions 8 and 12 and respective handle portions 10 and 14 are in closed position inner edges 50, 50 of respective hook-shaped members 48, 48 make point contact with a portion of transversely extending bend portion 20 as at edge 56 and edge 58 of openings 4G and 42, respectively. Upon application of pressure against the handle portions 10 and 14 to open jaw p0rtions 8 and 12, thereby to open said jaw portions 8 and 12, against said spring member 24, spring member 24 assumes the position within the area defined by the dotted line a and the line b in FIGURE l2, line b showing the position of spring member 24 when the jaw portions 8 and 12 are in closed position. Portion 28 of spring member' 24 in the opening of jaw portions it and 12 pivots about plane of contact A between its end 60 and top surface 18 of handle portion 14 of elongated member 6, and said inner edges 50, S of hook-shaped members 48, 48 are spaced from edges 56 and 58 of openings 40 and 42, respectively, and also Iare spaced from edges 52 and 54 of openings 44 and 46, respectively, as clearly shown in FIGURE 11. Inner edges 50, Si) and transversely extending bend portion 20 define the hinge portion of the clip 2, the vertical hinge area being defined by the respective inner edge 50 of hook-shaped member 48 shown to be Within dotted line G in FIGURE 13.

As is clearly shown in the appended drawings, elongated member 6 has transversely extending bend portion 61 and transversely extending bend portion 62 and also has opening 3 in and through the handle portion 14 thereof to facilitate gripping. Also, instead of elongated member 4 having transversely extending cross-bar 64, elongated member 66, without such a cross-bar may be utilized.

Jaw portion 8 of elongated member 4 has spaced-apart leg members 80 and 82 having longitudinally extending slots 84 and 86 therethrough, said leg members 80 and 82 having cross-bar' 64 therebetween. Likewise, elongated member 66 has spaced-apart leg members 88 and 90 having longitudinally extending slots 92 and 94 therethrough.

Many alterations and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is set forth in the appended claims which are to be construed as broadly as pos-sible in View of the prior art.

1. A clip comprising, in combination, a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of said members having a jaw portion and a handle portion, the bottom of the handle portion of said first elongated member facing the top of the handle portion of said second elongated member, said first elongated member being oppositely positioned with respect to said second elongated member, said first elongated member including a transversely extending bend portion, said handle portion of said first elongated member angularly extending from said jaw portion thereof along said bend portion, said first elongated member having a slot through a portion of its handle portion, said bend portion and a portion of its jaw portion, a separate spring member including a first portion in contact with the bottom of the handle portion of said first elongated member, a second portion in contact with the top of the handle portion of said second elongated member and a bow-shaped portion between and connecting said first and second portions, said bow-shaped portion extending through said slot, said spring member holding said jaw portions normally in closed position, said handle portion of said first elongated member having a first opening therethrough on one side of said slot and a second opening therethrough on the other side of said slot, said jaw portion of said first elongated member having a third opening therethrough axially positioned with respect to said first opening and a fourth opening therethrough axially positioned with respect to said second opening, said handle portion of said second elongated member including a pair of spaced-apart upwardly extending hook-shaped members, one of said hook-shaped members being received in said first and third openings and the other of said hook-shaped members being r'eceived in said second and fourth openings, a portion of the inner edge of one of said hook-shaped members and a portion of the inner edge of the other of said hookshaped members contacting the transversely extending bend portion when said jaw portions are in closed position, said portion of the inner edge of said one hookshaped member and said portion of the inner edge of said other hook-shaped member being spaced from the transversely extending bend portion when said jaw portions are in open position, said second portion of said spring member being pivoted about a plane of contact, said plane of contact being between the second portion of said spring member and the top of said second elongated member handle portion, upon application of pressure against said handle portions to open said jaw portions. said transversely extending bend portion and said inner edges of said hook-shaped members defining the hinge portion of the clip, whereby said first elongated member is at all times spaced apart from said second elongated member at the handle portions and adjacent jaw portions thereof.

2. The clip of claim 1 wherein said second elongated member includes a first transversely extending bend portion .and a second transversely extending bend portion spaced therefrom, each of said bend portions being closer to the free end of said second elongated member jaw portion than said transversely extending bend portion in said first elongated member.

3. The clip of claim 1 wherein each of asid third opening and of said fourth opening in said jaw portion of said first elongated member has a length greater than the length of each hook-shaped member and a width greater than the width of each hook-shaped member, whereby each of said hook-shaped members can be easily received in each of said openingsthereby enabling easy, quick and economical assembly of the slip components.

4. A clip comprising, in combination, a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of said members having a jaw portion and a handle portion, the bottom of the handle portion of said first elongated member facing the top of the handle portion of said second elongated member, said first elongated member being oppositely positioned with respect to said second elongated member, said first elongated member including a transversely extending bend portion, said handle portion of said first elongated member angularly extending from said jaw portion thereof along said bend portion, said first elongated member having a slot through a portion of its handle portion, said bend portion and a portion of its jaw portion, a separate spring member including a first portion substantially parallel to and in contact with the bottom of the handle portion of said first elongatedl member, a second portion substantially parallel to and in contact with the top of the handle portion of said second elongated member and a bow-shaped portion between and connecting said first and second portions, said bowshaped portion extending through said slot, said spring member holding said jaw portions normally in closed position, said handle portion of said first elongated member having a first opening therethrough on one side of said slot and a second opening therethrough on the other side of said slot, said jaw portion of said first elongated member having a third opening therethrough axially positioned With respect to said first opening and a fourth opening therethrough axially positioned with respect to said second opening, said handle portion of said second elongated member including a pair of spaced-apart upwardly extending hook-shaped members, one of said hook-shaped members being received in said first and third openings and the other of said hook-shaped members being received in said second and fourth openings, a portion of the inner edge of one of said hook-shaped members and a portion of the inner edge of the other of said hook-shaped members contacting the transversely extending bend portion when said jaw portions are in closed position, said portion of the inner edge of said one hook-shaped member and said portion of the inner edge of said other hook-shaped member being spaced from the transversely extending bend portion when said jaw portions are in lopen position, said second portion of said spring member being pivoted about a plane of contact, said plane of contact being between the second portion of said spring member and the top of said second elongated member handle portion, upon application of pressure against said handle portions to open said jaw portions, said transversely extending bend portion and said inner edges of said hook-shaped members dening the hinge portion of the clip, whereby said first elongated member is at all times spaced apart from said second elongated member at the handle portions and adjacent jaw portions thereof.

5. The clip of claim 4 wherein said second elongated member includes a first transversely extending bend portion and a second transversely extending bend portion spaced therefrom, each of said bend portions being closer to the free end of said second elongated member jaw portion than said transversely extending bend portion in said rst elongated member.

6. The clip of claim 4 wherein each of said third opening and of said fourth opening in said jaw portion of said lirst elongated member has a length greater than the length of each hook-shaped member and a width greater than the width of each hook-shaped member, whereby each of said hook-shaped members can be easily received in each of said openings thereby enabling easy, quick and economical assembly of the clip components.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,970 4/62 Gold 132-48 3,047,927 8/62 Braga 132-48 X 3,101,725 8/63 Reiner 132-46 X 3,141,218 7/64 Eckman 132-48 X RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLIP COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER AND A SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A JAW PORTION AND A HANDLE PORTION, THE BOTTOM OF THE HANDLE PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER FACING THE TOP OF THE HANDLE PORTION OF SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER, SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER BEING OPPOSITELY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER, SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER INCLUDING A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BEND PORTION, SAID HANDLE PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER ANGULARLY EXTENDING FROM SAID JAW PORTION THEREOF ALONG SAID BEND PORTION, SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A SLOT THROUGH A PORTION OF ITS HANDLE PORTION, SAID BEND PORTION AND A PORTION OF ITS JAW PORTION, A SEPARATE SPRING MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION IN CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE HANDLE PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER, A SECOND PORTION IN CONTACT WITH THE TOP OF THE HANDLE PORTION OF SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER AND A BOW-SHAPED PORTION BETWEEN AND CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS, SAID BOW-SHAPED PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, SAID SPRING MEMBER HOLDING SAID JAW PORTIONS NORMALLY IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID HANDLE PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A FIRST OPENING THERETHROUGH ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SLOT AND A SECOND OPENING THERETHROUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID SLOT, SAID JAW PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A THIRD OPENING THERETHROUGH AXIALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST OPENING AND A FOURTH OPENING THERETHROUGH AXIALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND OPENING, SAID HANDLE PORTION OF SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED-APART UPWARDLY EXTENDING HOOK-SHAPED MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID HOOK-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING RECEIVED IN SAID FIRST AND THIRD OPENINGS AND THE OTHER OF SAID HOOK-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING RECEIVED IN SAID SECOND AND FOURTH OPENINGS, A PORTION OF THE INNER EDGE OF ONE OF SAID HOOK-SHAPED MEMBERS AND A PORTION OF THE INNER EDGE OF THE OTHER OF SAID HOOKSHAPED MEMBERS CONTACTING THE TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BEND PORTION WHEN SAID JAW PORTIONS ARE IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID PORTION OF THE INNER EDGE OF SAID ONE HOOKSHAPED MEMBER AND SAID PORTION OF THE INNER EDGE OF SAID OTHER HOOK-SHAPED MEMBER BEING SPACED FROM THE TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BEND PORTION WHEN SAID JAW PORTION ARE IN OPEN POSITION, SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID SPRING MEMBER BEING PIVOTED ABOUT A PLANE OF CONTACT, SAID PLANE OF CONTACT BEING BETWEEN THE SECOND PORTION OF SAID SPRING MEMBER AND THE TOP OF SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER HANDLE PORTION, UPON APPLICATION OF PRESSURE AGAINST SAID HANDLE PORTIONS TO OPEN SAID JAW PORTIONS, SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BEND PORTION AND SAID INNER EDGES OF SAID HOOK-SHAPED MEMBERS DEFINING THE HINGE PORTION OF THE CLIP, WHEREBY SAID FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER IS AT ALL TIMES SPACED APART FROM SAID SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER AT THE HANDLE PORTIONS AND ADJACENT JAW PORTIONS THEREOF. 